Monday 28th May, 2007. Forty years after Sir Francis Chichester’s epic 1967 trip around the world, which was the first solo circumnavigation taking in the Capes of Hope, Leeuwin and Horn, Gypsy Moth IV yacht return from its second circumnavigation. Thousands of people turned up in Plymouth for the historic occassion.

Teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds accompanied veteran sailors on the yachts second trip, which began in September 2005. After languishing in a dry dock at Greenwich next to the Cutty Sark, the yacht was bought for £1 and a gin and tonic by the UK Sailing Academy. Gipsy Moth IV set off on its second lengthy voyage after undergoing a £300,000 refit. The refurbished ketch set out from Plymouth, Devon, crewed by teams of three 16 to 23-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds. The journey introduced about 90 youngsters to the challenges of sailing. In May last year the yacht had to be rescued after becoming grounded on a South Pacific reef.

After being accompanied into Plymouth by a flotilla of small craft the Gypsy Moth IV docked at West Hoe Pier, as it did exactly 40 years ago, to complete its journey round the world. One of the participating teenagers, 18-year-old Kerry Prideaux from Devon, told BBC News the experience had been ‘just incredible’. ‘We’ve had some pretty nasty weather out there, but then we’ve had some beautiful things to see,’ she said.

Sir Francis was later knighted for his achievement and died in 1972. Gipsy Moth IV will travel to the Isle of Wight port of Cowes to join the UK Sailing Academy’s fleet of yachts used to take young people on sailing trips.